1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to electrical jack connectors and is concerned more particularly with an electrical jack plug having internal means for withstanding impact stresses applied to the tip contact member of the jack plug.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
An electrical jack plug may be of the composite prong type having a spear-like "tip" contact member with a shaft component insulatingly disposed within a coaxial "sleeve" contact member. The jack plug may have an external surface comprised of a solid tapered tip component of the tip contact member projecting axially from a flat surface of a dielectric washer which has an opposing flat surface abutting one end of the sleeve contact member. The sleeve contact member extends axially from the dielectric washer and has an outer diameter greater than the maximum transverse dimension of the tapered component. Thus, the dielectric washer serves as an insulating spacer for maintaining the sleeve contact member in predetermined axial spaced relationship with the tapered tip component of the tip contact member. Consequently, when the jack plug is slidably inserted into a jack receptacle, the tip and sleeve contact members of the jack plug are positioned axially with respect to one another for electrically engaging respective spring-like contacts in the jack receptacle.
Within the sleeve contact member, the shaft component of spear-like tip contact member is encircled by a tubular sheath of dielectric material which electrically insulates the shaft component from the coaxial sleeve contact member. One end portion of the dielectric sheath is disposed within the aperture of the dielectric washer. The opposing end portion of the sheath with the encircled end portion of the shaft component extends axially out of the adjacent end of the sleeve contact member. In assembly, the shaft component is slidably inserted into the dielectric sheath, and the resulting sheath-encased shaft component is slidably inserted into the sleeve contact member. Thus, the sheath-encased shaft component supports the outer surface of the sleeve contact member in predetermined radial spaced relationship with the outer surface of the tapered component of the tip contact member.
In practice, the jack plug may be attached to an end portion of relatively long cable having respective conductors therein connected electrically to the tip and sleeve contact members of the jack plug. The jack plug may be slidably inserted into a jack receptacle whereby an instrument, such as a guitar, for example, may be connected to an electrical device, such as an audio amplifier, for example. Consequently, the end portion of the cable having the jack plug attached thereto may be bounced in random fashion along a hard floor surface, particularly when the jack plug is removed from the jack receptacle and the cable is being coiled by hand. Later, it may be found that the tip contact member is bent where the tapered tip component is attached to the shaft component of the tip contact member. As a result, the jack plug can no longer be slidably inserted into the jack receptacle and requires replacement.